At present, it is common to use at least one nail driven into a surface. A picture wire is then hung on the nail. Typically, more than one nail is used to avoid a stressed or sharp juncture in the picture wire and to provide greater security. Obviously, this approach requires the mounting of a picture wire to the article before fastening to the surface may take place. The precise placement of the nail in order to accomplish the desired mounting position also presents some difficulty. Further, the placement of numerous nails to avoid sharp curves in the wire is time consuming and requires careful placement of the nails.
Various devices for solving these problems have been proposed. U.S. Pat. No. 1,272,696 to Mock, shows a pushpin hanger with a detachable head. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,911,516 and 3,995,821 to Einhorn show pushin picture hanging devices but do not provide a means for the precise mounting of the device to the wall. Similarly, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,026,510 to Holmes and 3,063,669 to Bell both show devices for mounting a picture wire that avoids sharp curves in the wire. However, neither the Einhorn, Mock, Holmes nor Bell patents show a device that may be used with or without a picture hanging wire at the discretion of the user.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,887,159 to Knight and 2,448,137 to Cody show article and picture hangers, which utilize the square or rectangular frame of a picture etc. The hangers engage a straight, upper edge of the frame, to maintain the picture level.
A major disadvantage of these prior art devices is their lack of adaptability. Thus each device is designed for a particular mounting method. It is desirable that a mounting device should enable different articles to be mounted in different ways.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved secure mounting device that allows for the mounting of articles with reasonable precision with or without a mounting wire.
In its broadest aspect, the present invention provides a device which has a body comprising: a supporting means which includes a support surface for supporting an edge of a frame, the surface being straight and extending transversely and an upwardly extending lip for retaining such a frame on the device; a hanging means including a downwardly curved surface for uniformly supporting and retaining an elongate support element of an article; and a flat face for abutting a surface to which the device is secured.
In accordance with another aspect with the present invention there is provided a method for securing an article to a surface comprising the following steps:
(1) selecting the desired location on a surface with reference to a top edge of the article,
(2) positioning against the surface a device as defined above,
(3) fastening the body to the surface,
(4) engaging the article on either the curved surface by means of an elongate element of the article, or on the straight, support surface thereby supporting the article.
Because the present invention may be used alternatively with or without a mounting wire, at the option of the user, the device facilitates the mounting of most articles without requiring adjustment or manipulation of the article to be mounted. It may be desirable, depending upon the shape and weight of the article to be mounted, to use more than one of the devices to ensure the secure mounting of the article to the surface.